Proposal title: surficial mapping, ICE-sheet history and slope stability of the sardinia and arcade 7.5-minute quadrangles, western new york project period: 05/01/2026 ? 04/30/2027 purpose the purpose…

Proposal title: surficial mapping, ICE-sheet history and slope stability of the sardinia and arcade 7.5-minute quadrangles, western new york project period: 05/01/2026 ? 04/30/2027 purpose the purpose of this work is to create and publish surficial geologic maps of two quadrangles in western new york, an area heavily impacted by glaciation during the pleistocene ICE age. The timing of the last deglaciation of the laurentide ICE sheet in western new york is poorly constrained. The lack of available chronology has led to a provocative hypothesis that the laurentide ICE sheet RE-advanced to near its last glacial maximum terminal position in western new york at ~13,000, a time period when prior research indicates an ICE-margin north of lake ontario. Such a RE-advance would have significant implications for meltwater RE-routing and possibly related impacts on north atlantic ocean circulation. The objective is to constrain ICE-sheet history in a key area of western new york, which the recipient anticipates will include both the advance and retreat phases of the last glacial maximum terminal position. Activities the activities include surficial geologic mapping (fieldwork and lidar interpretation), analysis of quaternary stratigraphy (outcrop, augering, and well-log data) and generation of new geochronology (radiocarbon and luminescence dating). The anticipated impacts include both the scientific: bridging the GAP between better constrained ICE-sheet histories in southern ohio (to the west) and southern new england (to the east), and the societal: new stratigraphy work will enable improved slope stability assessments along steep river bluffs of the cattaraugus creek valley in light of projected extreme precipitation events in the region. Deliverables and outcomes the expected outcomes include much needed updated stratigraphy and chronology in a poorly studied part of the great lakes. The recipient has confidence that previously described organic-bearing pre- and post-LGM lacustrine sediments, and units with suitable grain sizes for luminescence dating (recently demonstrated to work well in the field area), will yield reliable NE chronologies. Furthermore, the new mapping will be more comprehensive than what is currently availabl within the two quadrangles, sardinia and arcade, NY, and will be based on field mapping an lidar data, which reveal both glacial landforms and rotational slumps in unprecedented detail. Intended beneficiary(IES) this edmap project will support master?s student sean grasing (the primary student mapper), who started graduate studies following three years mapping under statemap at the new york state geological survey under DR. Andrew kozlowski. Our findings will benefit both the publica and municipalities within and adjacent to the map area. Sand and gravel resources will improve predictions of groundwater aquifer dimensions, and materials analysis of cattaraugus river bluff sediments can be used in future studies for hillslope stability analyses in this landslide-prone area. Subrecipient activities none.